John Koezuna 2010-12-25
Nome man missing on 37-mile walk along Norton Sound
By CASEY GROVE, casey.grove@adn.com, Published: December 29th, 2010
Search teams are looking for a Nome man who set out on a 37-mile walk from a family
cabin to Nome more than a week ago and has not been seen since, according to Alaska
State Troopers.
John Koezuna, 55, is known to go for long walks, Alaska State Troopers spokeswoman
Beth Ipsen said. There have been two serious winter storms since Koezuna started
his latest trek along the coast of Norton Sound from a family cabin near Woolley
Lagoon back home to Nome, Ipsen said.
"We're concerned because there has been bad weather and nobody has really seen or
heard from him, that we know of," Ipsen said.
Koezuna left a note at the cabin Dec. 20 notifying kin he'd left for Nome. When
family found the note Dec. 27 and couldn't get in touch with Koezuna, they called
police, Ipsen said.
Nome police and volunteer searchers could not locate Koezuna in Nome, troopers said.
Two search teams were on nearby trails and along the coast Tuesday, Ipsen said.
Troopers believe Koezuna was likely wearing plenty of warm clothing for the weather
and knew the area.
Anyone with information about his whereabouts is asked to call the Nome trooper
post at (907) 443-2835 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting (907) 443-2835 end_of_the_skype_highlighting.
Find Casey Grove online at adn.com/contact/casey.grove or call him at 257-4589.